Footballscoop.com and Justin Hopkins of Duck Territory are reporting this morning on Twitter that Don Pellum is going to be named as the new Oregon defensive coordinator.

If so, given the candidates considered and their track records, the initial reaction is that this is a shocking and disappointing development. The linebackers were the main problem on defense this year in a season the Ducks struggled to stop the run and had just 70 tackles for loss all year.

Pellum has been a capable recruiter and a faithful position coach, but nothing about this selection suggests excellence or improvement in the Oregon defense. He's 80% of Nick Aliotti after the Ducks had considered some of the top defensive minds in the country, including defensive backs coach John Neal, Todd Orlando of Utah State, and Clancy Pendergast, a 15-year NFL veteran who transformed USC's defense this year.